1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for clamping and severing an umbilical cord and, more particularly, to an umbilical cord clip and an applicator having a concealed blade for safely and automatically severing an umbilical cord.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various surgical instruments have been developed to separate and clamp the umbilical cord joining a newborn infant and its mother. These devices typically cut or sever the umbilical cord between the fetal side of the cord and the maternal side of the cord. More modern instruments are also capable of placing one or more clips or umbilical cord clamps on the fetal and/or maternal sides of the cord.
One instrument for severing an umbilical cord and applying a clamp thereto is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,323,208 to Hurley, Jr. ("Hurley"). Hurley discloses a two part device including an applicator containing a fixed blade for severing an umbilical cord and a clamp affixed to the applicator for clamping the umbilical cord. The clamp is attached to the applicator by means of pins. Upon severing the cord and the pins, the applicator and knife blade remain clamped to the maternal side of the cord while the clamp is clamped to the fetal side of the cord.
Another device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,858 to Ersek ("Ersek") which operates similar to the device of Hurley described above. Ersek also employs an exposed fixed knife blade which is used to sever the umbilical cord and separate the maternal and fetal side clamps. The clamps are connected by a web which is severed by the knife blade upon closure of the instrument about the umbilical cord.
A further device used to sever an umbilical cord is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,401 to Mattson ("Mattson"). Mattson discloses a scissor-like device having handle portions and first and second closing jaw portions attached thereto. The Mattson device further includes a replaceable knife blade and a releasable umbilical cord clamp. Hemostatic surfaces are provided on the jaws of the scissor-like instrument to temporarily clamp one side of the umbilical cord while the clamp is applied to an opposing side of the cord and the cord is severed between the clamped portions of the cord.
A device used to apply a pair of clamps to an umbilical cord and sever the cord between the clamps is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,517 to Collins et al. ("Collins et al."). Collins et al. discloses an applicator having upper and lower portions for applying a pair of umbilical cord clamps, held within recesses in the upper and lower portions, to an umbilical cord. A slidable knife blade is located between the clamps and adapted to be slid, by the thumb of the user, between ends of the upper and lower portions to sever the umbilical cord.
One form of an umbilical cord clamp is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,303 to Nolan ("Nolan"). Nolan shows an umbilical cord clamp having a generally V-shaped configuration including a pair of flexible arms joined together by an integral hinge. Nolan further includes locking means for securing the arms together including a flexible tongue at the forward end of one of the arms engagable with a recess at the forward end of the other arm. A pair of transversely spaced projections extend into the recess and define a pair of forwardly sloping ramp surface engagable with lateral notches in a tip portion of the tongue to hold the arms together.
Another form of an umbilical cord clamp is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,247,852 to Schneider ("Schneider"). Schneider shows an umbilical cord clamp having a pair of arms joined together by an integral hinge forming loop. A blocking member is positioned within the loop to prevent entry of the cord into the loop upon clamping of the arms. The clamp further includes longitudinally extending grooves within each of the arms to aid in clamping the cord along with means for locking the arms together in a clamped position.
In the above described umbilical cord clamp applicator instruments, the knife blade is exposed to the operator/surgeon prior to clamping the device about an umbilical cord. Thus, in view of the prevalence of various infectious diseases such as AIDS, etc., it is highly desirable to provide an umbilical cord clamp and applicator which conceals the knife blade prior to clamping the device about an umbilical cord and which locks in a closed position to protect the surgeon from cuts and possible resultant infection.